Tag: Development

Fragility and the State: Current Debates and Historical Perspectives

Fragility and the State: Current Debates and Historical Perspectives

Posted by | Apr 28, 2020 |

This paper examines fragile states from a historical and policy-focused context. It analyses both fragility and the state as complex phenomena with specific history and logic. International debates are introduced, from the ‘failed states’ narrative to more sophisticated frameworks on fragile contexts. Modern state-building is placed in a historical perspective and analysed through a political economy framework, while rents and patronage are explained as standard forms of social organization. Modern state-building and economic development is analysed, together with the impact of colonialism, further exposing the features of fragile states and placing them within the context of the contemporary world economy, making fragility appear as a dysfunctional form of governance.

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L’engagement des états Africains en Matière de Sécurité en Afrique Centrale : Contraintes et enjeux de la coopération UA-CEEAC

L’engagement des états Africains en Matière de Sécurité en Afrique Centrale : Contraintes et enjeux de la coopération UA-CEEAC

Posted by | Apr 2, 2019 |

This article entitled “African states’ engagement in Security in Central Africa: challenges and prospects for cooperation between the AU and ECCAS“ analyses the perception and issues of peace and security dynamics in Central Africa. It also explores the coordination between the AU and ECCAS by questioning its operational efficiency vis-avis the local constraints and crucial challenges in the region. Assuming that States in Central Africa do not offer a shared /relevant vision on issues of peace and security, it is given that the lack of political will mitigates any opportunity of mutual cooperation where Africa can produce its own solutions for its peace and security challenges. Yet, while Eastern and Western African states are highly preoccupied to finding endogenous solutions to security challenges, the Central Africa Region lags behind in mobilizing around common challenges thus the wish for a harmonization/capacity building of already existing institutions. With regards to the knowledge and practice of AfSol, this chapter brings three major contributions that build upon existing achievements: (1) the inventory of endogenous solutions susceptible of capitalizing on the consolidation of peace in Central Africa; (2) incentives for decision makers in Central Africa for a more active engagement for peace and (3) the establishment of a platform of discussion between academic circles, pan-African structures of integration and political decision makers.

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